Chapter 25
Dominic knew that Catherine was still in the parlor, waiting. Yet, he hesitated in front of the door, after he had seen her brother off. He still remembered Reginald’s last words before he mounted the carriage.
You’d better take care of her, or else…
Dominic wasn’t frightened by that threat. On the contrary, it made him respect Reginald even more. Perhaps in another life, they would have been good friends. The best of friends. And Dominic himself would still be married to Catherine. Happily married. The thought made him smile.
He pushed the parlor door open and saw that Catherine was still seated in the armchair, with two empty cups of tea resting on a small table before her. She seemed lost in thought; she hadn’t even noticed him come in. He dared not disturb her. All he could do was stare at her in awe. She was a vision of ethereal elegance, her features bathed in the soft glow of the candles.
In that moment, Dominic couldn’t help but feel a stirring of desire deep within him, an undeniable attraction that pulsed through his veins with every beat of his heart. He longed to reach out to her, to draw her into his arms again and lose himself in the intoxicating embrace of her presence.
She was a lady in every meaning of the word, yet the primal urge to possess her, to make her his own, burned fiercely within him, driving him to the brink of temptation. She awakened every desire in him, every fiber of his being wanted her in ways he dared not even think, let alone express in words.
With a steadying breath, he fought to regain control of his wayward thoughts, reminding himself of the importance of propriety and restraint. But even as he struggled to suppress his desires, he couldn’t shake the overwhelming longing that consumed him, a longing to express his love for her in the most intimate of ways, to unite their souls in a passion that transcended all boundaries.
“Catherine?” he called out to her gently.
Her eyelashes fluttered in his direction. It took her a moment or two to return to the present moment. As soon as she acknowledged him, she smiled.
“Oh,” she beamed. “I’m sorry. I… I was lost in thought.”
“I see that,” he smiled, taking a seat on the chaise lounge opposite her. “Did you enjoy the afternoon with your brother?”
“Oh, yes! Most certainly,” she gushed, her voice filled with genuine appreciation. “Thank you, Dominic. It meant a great deal to me to have Reginald here, and I can’t thank you enough for your thoughtful gesture.”
Dominic returned her smile, his eyes shining with sincerity as he spoke. “Despite what you may think, I only want to see you happy, Catherine,” he said softly. “Your well-being is of the utmost importance to me, both mental and physical.” He paused for a moment, inserting a joke in hopes of making her smile. “Seeing I failed at the latter, I hoped to repair my mistake with the former.”
“You managed wonderfully,” she chuckled. “I really feel a lot better now.”
“I can see that,” he nodded. Then, he tilted his head a little, trying to see behind the veil she had lifted around her, in an effort to hide her true self. “But I see that something is bothering you still.”
She locked eyes with his, not speaking. He could see that he was right, but she hesitated to confide in him. A pang of guilt plagued him. He deserved this lack of trust. How could he not? And he also knew that it would take a long time for him to earn her trust. But he would do whatever it took.
“You don’t have to talk to me if you don’t want to, Catherine,” he assured her gently. “But if you do wish to speak to someone here, if that will make you feel better, my aunt will help you in any way she can. She has taken quite a liking to you.”
“Oh, and I to her,” Catherine assured him. Her smile was there again, but he knew it wasn’t meant for him. “She is an exceptional lady, in every manner of the word.”
He chuckled. “She would love to hear you say that.”
“I shall make sure to tell her that then,” she nodded, her eyes glistening.
He yearned to be a man of unwavering support to her, in the absence of her brother. He wanted to be a beacon of light in her life, guiding her through the darkest of times, but he had to earn that position, if he would ever be able to do that.
“Would you like to be taken back to your chamber?” he suggested.
“No,” she shook her head, looking at him. “I would actually like to go out into the garden and sit there for a little while. Would that be all right?”
“I don’t see why not,” he smiled.
As Dominic enveloped Catherine in his embrace and led her to the tranquil sanctuary of the garden, a sense of serenity descended upon them, like a cocoon of a comforting hold. Beneath the sprawling branches of an ancient oak tree, he carried her to a weathered bench and tenderly settled her upon its sturdy wooden frame.
“Is this all right?” he asked.
“This is perfect,” she nodded, gazing at him. He could immediately sense the weight of sadness that seemed to linger within her. Yet, she was not willing to reveal the cause of her distress.
Though he yearned to draw her close, to lose himself in the intoxicating warmth of her presence, he knew that now was not the time for passion or desire. Instead, he longed to ease the burdens weighing upon her heart, to offer her solace and comfort in her time of need.
With a gentle touch, he brushed a stray lock of hair from her forehead, his eyes filled with an unspoken tenderness. He wanted her to know that he would be there for her, but saying it wasn’t enough. It wasn’t nearly enough. He could feel the silent depths of her sorrow echoing within him.
“Does it hurt?” he asked, solely for the purpose of filling the silence between them with sound.
“My ankle?” she wondered. Then she shook her head. “No. Not really.” He thought their conversation would end there, but she surprised him with her response. “Something else hurts.”
“What?” he asked hastily.
“My brother and his family,” she said in a whisper.
Dominic felt like a wretch. He knew the entire story, and yet he chose to use it to his advantage. How different his perspective was now that Catherine was his wife. The conditions of his will were met, but it would seem that his heart was setting new ones, and he wasn’t certain whether Catherine would be willing to meet those.
“Did they find the man?” he asked cautiously. He didn’t want her to think that he was prying, but at the same time, he wished for her to know that she could count on his support. That was a line that was difficult to draw.
“Not yet,” she shook her head. “And that is the problem. My niece is growing up without a father by her side, and it is all that man’s fault. If only they could find him, sort out the divorce and my brother would live a happy life with his family, which is all he’s ever wanted in life.”
“That sounds simple enough,” Dominic pointed out.
“It does sound simple, but life rarely is.” she reminded him of something he knew himself. “If it were simple, they would be married already, perhaps with another child on the way. But now, as things are, having Rosie is already dangerous enough for both of them. Drawing their life out before the ton would have devastating consequences for all three of them. He refuses to do that.”
Dominic was starting to like Lord Stanhope more and more. He was a man of integrity, a man of morals, a man who would do anything to protect his family. Dominic could only respect such a man.
“Have they been searching for him for a long time?” Dominic inquired.
“Yes,” she confirmed. “Ever since they fell in love with each other, which was more than five years ago. I fear that, if they haven’t found the man in five years, they might never find him.” Her voice sounded as if she were on the verge of tears. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and pull her closer, but he resisted the temptation to do so.
“I hope you won’t take this the wrong way, but… I would be glad to help,” he said a little awkwardly, wondering what would be the best manner to put this.
“Help?” she echoed.
It felt odd somehow. The same man who dug up all the dirt regarding that affair would be the same man to help them. Life had a funny way of having things come full circle.
“Yes,” he said without hesitation. “I have a good friend who… well, let’s just say he knows the right people. Perhaps he, your brother and I could have a meeting, and discuss… things. If anyone can unearth new clues, it is Timothy.”
She seemed incredulous at hearing that. Her eyes were wide, doe-like. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, her porcelain skin glowing in the setting sun. He had never seen her look more beautiful than at that moment, with all of her vulnerabilities out in the open.
“You… you would do that for us?” she asked, her voice trembling.
He loved how she said, us. Her brother was her family. Her only family. He could only hope that one day, he would deserve to have her speak of him in such a manner.
“Of course,” he nodded. “I have already created enough trouble. Maybe I should start cleaning up a bit of it, too.”
This comment made her smile. “Are you admitting you were wrong again?”
“No,” he shook his head, refusing to smile, but that was a difficult feat. “I’m not admitting to any such thing. I am merely stating that I would be happy to help.”
She gently patted his hand. “I’ll take it. Thank you.”
She turned away from him, staring into the distance, at some invisible spot that only she was able to see. He didn’t mind that they were silent. He actually enjoyed it. Before, he feared noiselessness. But with Catherine, it was slowly becoming pleasant as his body and his mind became aware of her presence next to him.
They remained in the garden for a while, when she finally turned to him. “May we go back inside? I am starting to get a little chilly.”
“Of course,” he smiled. “The same way we came out? Unless you are really eager to try out that cane.”
“No,” she shook her head like a mischievous little child. “I think I’ve gotten used to the royal treatment now.”
He chuckled. “Royal treatment it is.”
He turned to her, picking her up and taking her back inside, leaving the tranquility of the garden and the soft rustle of leaves behind. Now, more than ever, he silently vowed to do everything in his power to help her, to be by her side, to lend her his strength and his solace whenever she needed it the most. Even if she pushed him away, he would stay, no matter what.